Cuddy calls full time for Stradey Park

After standing empty for almost two years, the final chapter in Stradey Park's history is being written as Cuddy Group's demolition team gets set to move on to the North Stand, the last of the stadium's terraces. The demolition project will allow Taylor Wimpey's exciting 355-home residential development to begin and deliver much-needed new housing and employment for the area.

Commenting on the project to date, Cuddy Group's managing director Mike Cuddy says: "There is a lot of nostalgia attached to Stradey Park; it hosted many nail-biting matches in its heyday and I know many fans will be sad to see it finally go. Yet the stadium has been derelict for some time now, so it is important that it is brought down before it poses a safety risk."

The 12-week project began with Cuddy's 12-man team carrying out soft stripping works in May. The East Terrace and West stand were then brought down before work progressed to the South Stand. Once the steel frame and asbestos roof cladding was removed, demolition of this terrace was completed using 20 and 30 tonne excavators. With only the North Stand - plus the Tetley Buildings' offices and function rooms - now left to clear, the site moves one step closer to redevelopment.

Cuddy Group - the 9th largest demolition contractor in the world - has worked on several similar projects in the past and as ever, sustainable working has been a key consideration throughout the project. 98% of the materials from the site are earmarked for recycling, including plastic chairs and steel frames. 6,000 tonnes of concrete rubble is being crushed on site and will be used for redevelopment, and the top soil from the pitch will also be reused on the new housing project. This commitment to the environment has helped Cuddy Group to achieve the ISO 14001 standard for environmental management.

Cuddy's experience has also helped ensure that disruption to the surrounding area has been kept to a minimum.

With only four weeks of demolition and clearance works remaining, Cuddy is getting ready to hand responsibility for the future of the site over to Taylor Wimpey. Commenting on the project so far, Arwyn Evans, Taylor Wimpey's construction director says: "We selected the locally-based Cuddy Group on the strength of their submission and have been delighted with their expertise and professionalism. We have been particularly impressed by their stringent approach to safety and their desire to keep a tidy site. Cuddy Group really is a good ambassador for the demolition industry and has provided us with an excellent basis to bring new life to the site."